Sixty-Six Years Ago…

By
Aramco Expats /
/
2 March 2017

Ras Tanura Town 1960

Harry Truman was U.S. president and Dwight Eisenhower a retired Army general when Vernon Cornell joined Saudi Aramco in 1951. Vernon was about to complete his master's degree in chemistry from the University of Southern California when a recruiting team convinced him to take on the challenge of moving half way around the world to live and work in Saudi Arabia.

For the next twenty years he and his wife Bonnie made their home in Abqaiq where Vernon served as manager of Plants and Pipelines. They loved living in Abqaiq where Vernon laughingly remembers all the bumps on the road connecting the compound with the town. As president of the Abqaiq Women's Club Bonnie had great fun and compiled countless warm memories. The couple played lots of tennis in the Kingdom and continued to play the game well into retirement.

Ras Tanura Terminal 1960

Today they live in San Diego, where Vernon enjoys reading, and especially reading about the Middle East.

Their family has grown over the years to include sons Keith and Curtice and grandchildren Keara, age 25, Taryn, age 23, Blake, age 19, and Coleman, age 17.

The Cornells invite their friends and former colleagues from their Saudi Aramco days to get in touch with them. Their street address is: